Cramer on Casting – Introduction

Over the next few months, Mossy Creek guide, Bob Cramer, will offer a series of casting tips.

Casting a fly rod is a lot like hitting a golf ball. The better you are, the better you are gonna do and the more you will enjoy it. I have been guiding fly fisherman for 34 years. I have worked with thousands of people to improve their cast. In the upcoming series of blog post I will explain what has worked for me over the years as a guide and instructor.

Each and everyone of us cast differently. Lefty Kreh, Joan Wulff and Mel Kreiger are all great casters and casting instructors but each one of them cast differently and will teach you differently.

For example, Colby Trow and I are very accurate and able to put the fly where we need it to go at 20 feet or 70 feet, yet we cast very differently.

Everyone has to find their happy place -what works for them and works in different situations.

One of the main things that hurts a lot of people is they don’t practice. They take a class, go home and come back a couple of months later and haven’t picked up their rod since their class. If you really have a desire to become better at fly fishing, you need to practice.

First and foremost, you need to be able to get the fly to the fish and until you learn to do that, you will struggle to catch the fish.

Anyone that has ever played golf knows that if you only play once or twice a year you’re never going to be good at it. The same applies to fly casting.

One of the great things about fly casting is you can practice almost anywhere; in your yard, at the neighborhood pond or the parking lot at work. Practicing when you aren’t fishing also allows you to remove the burden of catching fish. I can have a student in class casting beautifully in the grass and then forget everything they just learned when turned loose to fish.

While this blog series is aimed at the beginners, I know some of you more experienced casters will find a tip or two that helps you as well. One thing I know for sure, the better you are as a fly caster, the more successful you will be as a fly fisher.